asked the Attorney-General how many people serve as magistrates at the present time; what was the average number of sessions each served in 1985; and what were the figures five years ago.

On 1 January 1986 in England and Wales 16,133 men and 11,554 women were serving as active justices of the peace. In January 1981 the figures were respectively 15,951 and 9,484. The average attendances in 1980 and 1985 could not be ascertained except at disproportionate cost, but an estimate would be between 35 and 40 half-day sittings in each of the two years.

Age and Duration Analysis of the Unemployed for Statistical Date 9 January 1986 Parliamentary Constituencies
Copeland CC
Males
Duration of Unemployment in weeks	Under 17	17	18	19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60 and over	Total
One or less	0	1	5	4	11	5	12	4	2	5	4	3	2	58
Over 1 and up to 2	2	1	1	1	11	4	4	6	0	4	0	1	1	36
Over 2 and up to 4	2	3	4	5	29	7	12	10	8	3	3	1	3	90
Over 4 and up to 6	1	7	4	2	22	8	15	6	1	5	1	9	0	81
Over 6 and up to 8	2	3	2	5	25	7	13	10	5	2	4	6	0	84
Over 8 and up to 13	8	17	19	11	53	33	22	14	14	16	11	9	4	231
Over 13 and up to 26	26	42	28	29	117	52	36	36	30	22	29	21	14	482
Over 26 and up to 39	2	20	17	13	83	36	28	9	16	19	6	9	12	270
Over 39 and up to 52	0	1	12	17	36	20	20	10	16	7	13	20	6	178
Over 52 and up to 65	0	4	9	8	36	32	15	18	10	5	9	15	4	165
Over 65 and up to 78	0	8	8	10	24	30	17	24	18	20	71	36	1	267
Over 78 and up to 104	0	0	8	5	40	25	17	14	8	12	9	37	0	175
Over 104 and up to 156	0	0	2	15	40	33	22	20	11	16	19	44	0	222
Over 156 and up to 208	0	0	0	2	34	35	25	15	15	13	12	30	0	181
Over 208 and up to 260	0	0	0	0	25	18	16	14	14	13	11	16	2	129
Over 260	0	0	0	0	17	33	25	26	20	18	27	40	0	206
Grand totals Males	43	107	119	127	603	378	299	236	188	180	229	297	49	2,855

Females
Duration of Unemployment in weeks	Under 17	17	18	19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60 and over	Total
One or less	6	7	4	4	13	9	7	4	4	1	2	1	0	62
Over 1 and up to 2	0	2	3	2	8	2	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	20
Over 2 and up to 4	2	0	7	5	24	14	3	4	1	0	0	0	0	60
Over 4 and up to 6	5	6	3	5	20	4	3	4	1	3	2	2	0	58
Over 6 and up to 8	1	1	1	6	20	15	3	4	2	4	4	1	0	62
Over 8 and up to 13	3	10	12	9	40	23	11	9	6	8	5	3	0	139
Over 13 and up to 26	10	21	33	25	88	51	19	20	12	11	15	15	0	329
Over 26 and up to 39	0	10	4	7	52	45	20	5	9	10	13	4	0	179
Over 39 and up to 52	0	5	5	7	37	40	14	12	2	7	8	8	0	145
Over 52 and up to 65	0	2	4	4	23	23	19	4	6	2	8	5	0	100
Over 65 and up to 78	0	2	9	5	13	15	4	2	4	1	3	5	0	63
Over 78 and up to 104	0	0	5	4	14	11	5	5	0	4	5	13	0	66
Over 104 and up to 156	0	0	0	5	18	13	3	5	7	6	3	14	0	74
Over 156 and up to 208	0	0	0	1	17	4	4	1	1	4	7	6	0	45
Over 208 and up to 260	0	0	0	0	8	3	2	0	3	3	4	9	0	32
Over 260	0	0	0	0	5	11	4	1	0	8	9	9	0	47
Grand totals Females	27	66	90	89	400	283	122	82	58	72	88	95	0	1,472

asked the Attorney-General what representations have been received by the Law Officers' Department from churchmen and others concerning the proposed change in the ancient form of oath taken by witnesses before giving evidence in court; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no representations on this matter.

asked the Paymaster General if he will give a detailed breakdown of unemployed claimants in the Copeland parliamentary constituency using the most recent figures of 9 January, analysed by sex and by the age of the unemployed and duration of unemployment.

Following is the requested information, which is available in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General what information he has concerning the number of people employed in the textiles and clothing industries in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will give comparable figures for each month in the last five years.

The Department's employment statistics for the textiles and clothing industries are produced on a quarterly basis and cannot be expressed in precisely the manner required.The latest available figures for employees in employment in the textiles (including man-made fibres) and clothing industries in Great Britain during the last five years are as follows:

	Number
1980
December	585,000
1981
March	565,000
June	550,000
September	544,000
December	532,000
1982
March	521,000
June	510,000
September	501,000
December	491,000
1983
March	481,000
June	475,000
September	478,000
December	475,000
1984
March	470,000
June	467,000
September	467,000
December	465,000
1985
March	460,000
June	459,000
September	464,000

asked the Paymaster General if, pursuant to his reply of 22 November, Official Report, column 326, he will publish the latest figures for the ethnic origins of trainees recruited to the YTS by the construction industry training board, indicating what percentage each is of the total.

The Manpower Services Commission is currently considering the extent to which information provided by managing agents and sponsors on the ethnic group of trainees on YTS can be made available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state the post, rank and responsibilities of the official who represents the United Kingdom on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation petroleum planning committee; how often this committee meets; and where it meets.

The post is section head, oil contingency planning, which has the rank of grade 7. The committee meets twice a year in Brussels.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement outlining the objectives of Her Majesty's Government for the rest of the current Parliament.

The heart of our strategy is the continued reduction in inflation as a basis for sustained economic growth, built on sound financial foundations. Our aim is to hold public expenditure broadly constant in real terms and to reduce Government borrowing and the proportion of national income taken by taxation. We will continue to pursue measures to encourage initiative and enterprise. We shall remove barriers to effective competition and to the better working of markets. We shall seek to improve incentives. We shall continue to encourage the small business sector. We shall continue to pursue further measures of privatisation in order to improve the efficiency of the industries concerned and to encourage wider share ownership. It is only by pursuing these policies that we shall secure the continued substantial growth in new jobs which has occurred since 1983.We shall continue to uphold the rule of law. We shall pursue our proposals to tighten up the law on public order and to counter the evil traffic in drugs. We shall take all necessary action to deal with fraud. We shall introduce a comprehensive framework for the supervision of the rapidly changing financial sector.We shall continue to encourage wider home ownership. We shall implement major reforms in the social security system. We shall continue to protect retirement pensions and linked long-term benefits against inflation. We shall also develop our proposals for a radical recasting of the system of local government finance and the eventual abolition of the domestic rate. We shall be publishing a Green Paper on the reform of personal taxation. We shall continue to seek ways of improving the educational system through the extension of parental choice and through the improvement of standards in the system. We shall continue to develop the NHS to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service to patients. We will continue to improve the efficiency of the public services, taking Government out of those areas which are best left to others. In Northern Ireland, we shall continue to develop and build upon the Anglo-Irish agreement signed in November. We shall remain ready to listen to and consider the views of all constitutional politicians.We shall continue to play a full and active part in the NATO alliance as the best means of preserving the peace. We shall also play a full part in the further development of the European Community.We are well on course, but there is much left to do. I am fully confident that we will carry forward our policies to a lasting and successful conclusion.

asked the Prime Minister if any disciplinary action is to be taken against (a) Mr. Bernard Ingham, (b) Mr. Charles Powell and (c) Ms. Colette Bowe in relation to their conduct during the Westland affair; and if she will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 31 January, at columns 639–40.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 February.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

asked the Minister for the Arts if, in the light of the breakdown of negotiations between the successor authorities to the Merseyside metropolitan council, he will make a statement on the future of Liverpool Empire theatre and the Royal Liverpool philharmonic hall.

Negotiations about the Philharmonic Hall are continuing between the Arts Council and successor authorities. The Arts Council is discussing ways in which the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra can be so funded that it can pay an economic rent for its use of the hall. The Arts Council hopes that, with the co-operation of the successor authorities, this will enable the funding of the hall intself to be maintained.The tenancy of the Empire theatre is to be taken over by a major leisure group and its immediate future is not in doubt.

asked the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the number of visitors to the National Maritime museum who made payments for admission during the year ended 31 December 1985.

The number of visitors who paid for admission to the National Maritime museum main building or the Old Royal Observatory or both during 1985 is estimated at 453,237. This figure is based on an analysis of tickets sold, using the following conventions:

i. each family ticket sold represents four visitors;

ii. each local resident's annual ticket sold represents one

visitor;

iii. each school's annual ticket sold represents 30 visitors;

iv. each of the 229,516 combined tickets sold, giving admission to the main building and the observatory, is counted as one visitor only.

In addition, it is estimated that there were around 147,000 non-paying repeat visits and free admissions during 1985.I understand also that, for the nine months in 1984 during which admission charges operated (1 April to 31 December), the number of paying visitors estimated on the above conventions was 361,840. The corresponding figure for the same nine months in 1985 was 401,135, representing an increase of some 11 per cent.

asked the Minister for the Arts whether he is in a position to announce the creation and composition of the new national trustee body for Merseyside to be established under section 46 of the Local Government Act 1985.

Yesterday Her Majesty in Council was pleased to approve the order to establish the board of trustees for the national museums and galleries on Merseyside. The order has today been laid before both Houses of Parliament and will come into effect on 20 February. I have appointed to date 13 trustees, with Sir Leslie Young, CBE, DL as chairman. The other trustees are the Duke of Westminster, Mr. Nicholas Barber, Professor Robert Berry, Professor Anthony Bradshaw, Mr. George Holt, Professor Michael Kauffman, Councillor John Last, Mr. Brian Redhead, Councillor Benjamin Shaw, Mr. Garry Thomson, Lady Marina Vaizey and Sir David Wilson. Further appointments will be made in due course.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he intends to change any of the cash limits for which he is responsible.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary spring Supplementary Estimate, I propose to increase the 1985–86 cash limit on class V, vote 10, (Arts, the Arts Council and other institutions, the National Heritage and the Government Arts Collection) by £520,000 from £129,677,000 to £130,197,000. The increase is required in respect of items being accepted in lieu of tax, in accordance with my predecessor's statement to Parliament on 26 July 1985. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planning total of public expenditure.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he was consulted over the salaries being offered for the Arts Council's new posts of director of arts co-ordination, controller of marketing and resources, controller of touring and controller of planning.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1986, c. 380]: Yes. The Arts Council consulted my office about these posts and I have been kept informed of developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has available to him about the earnings of those with postgraduate qualifications immediately after acquiring the qualification as compared with the earnings of those with first degrees.

Detailed information on the earnings of first degree and higher degree graduates immediately after graduation is not available. Data from the general household survey over the period 1979 to 1983 suggests that men with higher degrees aged 25 to 29 earned some 3 per cent. more than those with first degrees of the same age. Numbers in this sample survey are insufficient to quote reliable estimates for actual earnings. Similar figures for women would not be reliable because of small sample numbers and the effect of part-time working.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will publish his decision about the prospective closure of Gordon secondary schools in Gravesend, Kent.

I expect to announce my decision on this proposal soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers employed in secondary schools covered by the Wolverhampton education authority have left their posts during the last seven years; and if he will list the average pupil-teacher ratios in secondary schools in that area in each year during the same period.

The numbers of teachers who left secondary schools in Wolverhampton are not readily available from central records. The pupil-teacher ratios in the secondary sector over the past seven years were as follows:

Pupil-teacher ratio within maintained secondary schools in Wolverhampton
January of each year	Pupil-teacher ratio
1979	15·6
1980	15·6
1981	15·0
1982	15·2
1983	15·2
1984	14·8
1985	14·9

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list costs per head of health service provision in the Falkland Islands in the latest year for which figures are available.

In the financial year ended 30 June 1984, the latest period for which figures are available, costs of health service provision in the Falklands were approximately £134 per head.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Libya's claims over the Gulf of Sirte; and if he will make a statement.

We, in common with our EC partners, take the view that the Libyan claim to sovereignty over the whole of the waters of the Gulf of Sirte is contrary to international law. In a Note delivered to the Libyan authorities on behalf of the member states of the European Community on 24 September 1985 the presidency made this clear following recent Libyan regulations on merchant shipping.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many registered unemployed there were in Strathclyde in January;(2) how many job vacancies there were in jobcentres in Strathclyde in January.

The information is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his meeting with Church leaders on 10 February about finding a solution to the teachers' dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what specific proposals were discussed with representatives of Scottish churches on Monday 10 February relating to the current teachers' dispute; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend had a useful exchange of views with representatives of the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church on 10 February. He emphasised that any final package had to deal with teachers' duties and conditions of service as well as pay. He would not lay down preconditions for the outcome of the negotiations and recognised that a balance had to be struck between the aspirations of both sides if an early end to the dispute was to be found. He noted that the employers and the majority of the teachers' unions in England and Wales had been able to reach agreement on the basis of Government resources that were equally available to teachers in Scotland; and he expressed the hope that negotiations between teachers and employers would now begin on the basis of the resources available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, following the publication of the report of the Scottish Tertiary Education Advisory Council, he will give estimated figures to show the saving which would result if the Scottish Tertiary Education Advisory Council's recommendation to close further colleges of education in Scotland was implemented.

Since the report makes no specific recommendation as to which colleges might close, it does not provide any basis for estimating prospective savings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will specify what savings were made by closing (a) Callender Park college of education, (b) Hamilton college of education and by the merger of Notre Dame and Craiglockhart colleges into one college.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the time scale of the payment of weather aid and hill livestock compensatory allowance remains as indicated in November 1985; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Payment of weather aid commenced on 20 December and by tomorrow £6·6 million will have been paid out to 18,300 applicants. Hill livestock compensatory allowance payments commenced on 27 January, one month earlier than in 1985. By tomorrow, £15 million will have been paid out to 7,350 applicants.In addition, £7·2 million was paid out in sheep annual premium to 15,000 applicants on 17 December.Payments on such a scale in under nine weeks represent a very considerable achievement by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, on which I commend it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the special weather and enhanced hill livestock compensatory allowance announced in 1985 take account of the supplement introduced in 1984 which was payable to farmers in the Highlands and Islands Development Board areas; and if he will make a statement.

Following the announcement of new hill livestock compensatory allowances (HLCAs) for 1986, revised Highlands and Islands Development Board (HIDB) supplements were announced on 19 December 1985, at columnn 294, by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Scotland. Adverse weather aid payments are entirely unrelated to HLCAs and the rates of payment are the same within and outwith the HIDB area.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the real overall value of the special weather aid and enhanced hill livestock compensatory allowance announced in 1985 after taking account of delays in payments; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State announced on 28 November that the estimated value of the adverse weather aid in Scotland was £7·7 million; and that the increase in hill livestock compensatory allowances would be worth about £5 million in a full year, bringing the total value of these allowances to over £43 million. He undertook to make the weather aid payments speedily and to make an initial payment of 75 per cent. of the HLCA as soon as possible after receipt of the claims, the balance being paid after checking.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the National Farmers Union of Scotland on weather aid and hill livestock compensatory payments; and if he will make a statement.

The National Farmers Union has made representations alleging delay in making these payments. I do not accept these criticisms. Payments are being made in accordance with the announcement by my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State on 28 November. I have directed the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland to treat those payments as a matter of urgency. I am very satisfied with the progress to date and I have every confidence that it will continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the names of organisations and individuals who have made representations to him against the proposal to transfer the Macaulay Institute for Soil Research from Aberdeen.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State will write to my hon. Friend supplying the information and will place a copy of his letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will be in a position to announce his decision on the proposed transfer of the Macaulay Institute for Soil Research from Aberdeen; and if he will make a statement.

As my hon. Friend is aware, no decision on the location of the new Macaulay institute will be taken until the results of a feasibility study are available. The study is under way and all concerned have been made aware of the need for urgency. It is not possible at this time to state a date on which a decision will be announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the report of the feasibility study into the changes proposed at the Macaulay Institute for Soil Research will be made publicly available.

The report will be made available to interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children each island and regional council had in list D schools on 31 March 1985.

The information is set out in the table:

Regional/Island Council	Children in List D schools on 31 March 1985
Borders	4
Central	29
Dumfries and Galloway	1
Fife	35
Grampian	35
Highland	10
Lothian	58
Strathclyde	449
Tayside	44
Orkney	0
Shetland	0
Western Isles	0
	Total 665

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the gross and per capita expenditure on research and development sponsored by the Welsh Office at (a) universities and colleges in Wales and (b) Welsh industries between 1975 and 1985; and if he will make a statement.

Information in the precise form and for the full period requested is not readily available. Expenditure on research and development commissioned by the Welsh Office is given in the following table:

£'000
	Total	Expenditure on R & D in United Kingdom Industry	Expenditure on R & D in United Kingdom Universities and Further Education Establishments
1980–81	825	162	282
1981–82	1,628	154	262
1982–83	1,545	195	292
1983–84	1,587	18	616

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is satisfied with the progress being made in each of the counties in Wales in developing a community based service for children under 16 years of age currently in mental handicap hospitals; whether he intends to review progress in this field in the light of the All Wales Strategy for mentally handicapped people; and if he will make a statement.

We have recently called for reports on progress in developing community based services for children in this category from all county planning teams implementing the all Wales strategy for mentally handicapped people; and we shall consider whether any further guidance is necessary when these are received.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy that all statements currently being prepared by health authorities in Wales, consequent to Welsh health circular WHC(85)46, on their plans regarding provision for mentally handicapped people and the future of mental handicap hospitals, will be developed as an integral part of the county social services plans for implementing his all-Wales strategy for mentally handicapped people.

My right hon. Friend's policy already encourages local authorities and health authorities to work together in planning to meet the needs of mentally handicapped people. This is reflected not only in the all Wales strategy and the preparation of county plans but also in the requirements for statements under Welsh health circular WHC(85)46.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the number of children of school age in each county in Wales who are not currently being educated at an approved educational institution; what information he has as to the proportion in each case accounted for by the children of travelling people; and if he will make a statement.

The number of pupils receiving education other than at school, as at January 1985, were as follows:

	Number
Clwyd	131
Dyfed	25
Gwent	273
Gwynedd	17
Mid Glamorgan	133
Powys	3
South Glamorgan	19
West Glamorgan	34

These figures relate to pupils receiving education in the local authority areas under arrangements made by the authorities; they include those educated at home, at hospital (excluding hospital special schools) and at other groups (for example, assessment centres and community homes).Information on the number of children of travelling people receiving education, either at school or otherwise, is not centrally available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from bodies representing industry, local government, religious organisations, voluntary bodies or private individuals concerning the Government's proposals to abolish restrictions on Sunday trading in Wales.

Since publication of the Shops Bill on 15 November 1985 I have received 36 representations from religious organisations, 39 from private individuals and one from a shopkeeper, together with two petitions signed by 76 and 33 individuals, respectively. I have received no representations from industry, local government or voluntary bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales on what aspects of the Government's proposals for abolition of restrictions on Sunday trading he answers parliamentary questions as they affect Wales.

Sunday trading is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. I answer questions only on the number of representations which are sent to me or my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take immediate steps to write off the capital debt of the Welsh water authority, with effect for the financial year 1986–87.

No. The hon. Gentleman will appreciate from paragraphs 100 and 102 of "Privatisation of the Water Authorities in England and Wales" (Cmnd. 9734) that my right hon. Friend will be discussing with the Welsh water authority the appropriate restructuring of its balance sheet.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of the teacher training college at Bangor.

I am awaiting the advice of the Wales advisory board on local authority higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to increase rate support grant for police authorities in the coming financial year.

Following my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's decision to increase the rate of police specific grant to 51 per cent., I have decided to increase block grant for Welsh authorities by £1 million for 1986–87. Aggregate Exchequer grant in Wales will then increase by about £2·5 million. This recognises the priority which the Government give to improving the policing of our country. All police authorities in Wales will gain grant, as shown in the following table, and no district authority will lose grant. Ratepayers throughout Wales will therefore benefit from the increase in grant.

Effects of increasing police specific grants
£000
Authority	Increase in specific grant	Increase in block grant	Total
Clwyd	176	183	359
Dyfed	145	57	202
Gwent	211	203	414
Gwynedd	108	56	164
Mid Glamorgan	290	115	405
Powys	48	27	75
South Glamorgan	214	185	399
West Glamorgan	196	174	370

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he expects the Local Government Reorganisation (Staff Transfer) Order 1986 to be made.

The Local Government Reorganisation (Designation of Staff) Order 1986 was made on 7 February and was laid before Parliament today. It designates approximately 120,000 staff of the GLC and metropolitan counties for transfer, on their existing terms and conditions, to successor authorities—mainly ILEA and the joint authorities for police and fire and civil defence. My right hon. Friend expects to make a supplementary order at the end of this month; and all successor authorities have been invited to submit requests for any further staff they wish to be transferred to them.The future is now clear for these staff and the Government look to successor authorities to make their further decisions on recruitment as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to date of the Mount Pleasant airport at Port Stanley.

The estimated total costs of the RAF and separate Army works at Mount Pleasant airport remain unchanged from those I gave to the hon. Member in my reply to a previous question from him on 30 October 1985, at column 525.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department has given recently to local authorities about monitoring the quality standards of public bathing beaches set by the EEC.

The survey announced by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Walde grave) on 18 December 1985, at column 223, will be carried out by water authorities in consultation with local authorities. Our officials wrote to water authorities on 18 December 1985 and on 31 January 1986 setting out the practical details of the survey and stressing that water quality was to be assessed against the standards set in the EEC "bathing water" directive (76/160/EEC).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his Department's proposed study of the quality of bathing beaches in England and Wales.

The survey will be completed in the autumn of 1987 and a report will then be prepared for publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of council house building in (1) England and Wales and (2) Scotland was represented by (a) direct labour departments of councils and (b) private construction companies, for each of the years 1979 to 1984.

The estimated percentages based on the returns to the Department which give the value of new public sector house building put in place in each year are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received an application from the Greater London council for his consent to a grant to the London Country bus services minibus service; what consideration he has given to the matter; and when he expects to give his consent.

No such application has been received from the GLC.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors he took into account in proposing the transfer to the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission of some 112 acres surrounding Kenwood house; and what consultations were held with the boroughs of Haringey, Barnet and Camden.

My right hon. Friend took into account the provisions of section 44 of the Local Government Act 1985, which themselves secure the transfer of some 68 acres of land, together with Kenwood house, to the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission; the effective future management and presentation of Kenwood house and its environs; and the public's enjoyment of both the house and its setting. There have been no detailed consultations with the boroughs of Haringey, Barnet and Camden about the total extent of land to be transferred to the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to introduce new building regulations; and if he will make a statement.

New building regulations came into force last November. Following the policy outlined in the White Paper "Lifting the Burden" (Cmnd. 9571) the requirement of the regulations are now being reviewed further. The aim is that the regulations should be reduced to the minimum required to secure their essential function, which is the preservation of public health and safety. The regulations also have a role in setting basic standards of cost-effective energy conservation. A consultative document will be issued later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current United Kingdom building regulations in respect of the thickness of glass required in (i) internal panelling, (ii) internal doors, (iii) internal windows and (iv) windows with an external face; and what information he has as to the comparable requirements in (a) Norway, (b) Sweden, (c) Finland, (d) Denmark, (e) West Germany, (f) the Netherlands, (g) Belgium, (h) Luxembourg, (i) France, (j) Switzerland, (k) Austria, (l) Italy and (m) Spain.

There are no specific requirements governing the thickness of glass in the regulations in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. I am not aware of such requirements in the other countries referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are the current United Kingdom building regulations regarding roof insulation standards; and what information he has as to how these compare with (a) Denmark, (b) Sweden, (c) Finland, (d) Norway, (e) West Germany, (f) Austria and (g) France, respectively;(2) what are the current United Kingdom building regulations regarding wall insulation standards; and what information he has as to how these compare with

I shall answer these questions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he or officials of his Department have offered advice to the Women's Cricket Association concerning the visit to South Africa by certain individual members of that association.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 424, what efforts he has made to obtain consent to reveal the name of the company.

My officials wrote to the company concerned on 12 August 1985 requesting its permission to reveal its name.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent to a grant to the Haringey women's training and educational centre for which the Greater London council applied on 20 November 1985;(2) when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London Council's application for consent to a grant to London Country Bus Services riverbus service.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on Tuesday 21 January at column 141.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to have completed his consideration of the Greater London council's application for consent for a grant to the Chelsea social club.

No such application has been received from the GLC. An application by the GLC to make a grant to the Chelsea social council was refused on 6 February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on a possible review of the limit on spending under section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972.

My right hon. Friend has received representations on this matter from a number of local government bodies, including local authority associations, individual local authorities and some other interested organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what treatment Martina Anderson currently in Her Majesty's prison, Brixton, is receiving for her migraine condition.

Ms. Anderson is receiving appropriate treatment under the care of the medical staff at Brixton.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about which police forces encourage post code marking of articles as an aid to prevent theft; and if he will make a statement.

Details of all crime prevention implemented by police forces in England and Wales are not held centrally. We know, however, that many forces have introduced property marking schemes often as part of a neighbourhood watch package. In June 1984 Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary issued guidelines on property marking to all chief officers of police in England and Wales as an aid to forces about to launch schemes. The guidelines referred to the results of a property marking project in South Wales launched in November 1983 and carried out by the Home Office crime prevention unit in conjunction with South Wales constabulary. They showed a 40 per cent. reduction in the number of domestic burglaries in the project area during the one-year evaluation period. This successful project continues.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Durham as to how many car accidents there have been in the County Durham police area involving police vehicles in the last five years resulting in (a) death and (b) injury; and what is the total number of people who have died as a result.

The information requested is available only for the years from 1982 onwards. This information, together with figures for the number of people seriously or slightly injured, is given in the table:

	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986*
Accidents involving police vehicles resulting in death	0	0	0	0	0
Accidents involving police vehicles resulting in injury	17	16	22	20	3
Number of people seriously injured	3	3	5	1	1
Number of people slightly injured	17	17	24	23	3

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of rape offences reported to the police in 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985, respectively, by police force area; and if he will also list the number of offences that have been cleared up.

The available information is on the number of rapes recorded by each police force and is published annually in "Criminal Statistics Supplementary Tables" (volume 3, table S.3.1 of the issue for 1984). Figures for 1985 are not yet available. For the clear-up rates I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 16 January 1986, at column 262.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the Police Complaints Authority will be laid before Parliament.

My right hon. Friend expects to receive from the Police Complaints Authority a report on the discharge of its function during 1985 by the end of March. He will arrange for it to be laid before Parliament as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the South Yorkshire fire service is under strength; what recruitment will be required to reach the necessary establishment; and if such recruitment will be possible after 1 April;(2) if he is satisfied that the South Yorkshire fire service will be able to maintain services which are up to national standards, to man appliances to the same standards and to ensure that fire appliances will be available as required at all times from 1 April.

The latest information available to me about the notified establishment (uniformed including control staff) of the South Yorkshire fire service was 1,218 whole-time posts at 1 January 1985, against which there were 94 vacancies at the end of 1985. The retained (that is part-time) establishment was 236, and there were 121 vacancies. Under paragraph 4 of the Fire and Civil Defence Authorities (Establishment, Support Services and Management Schemes) Regulations 1985 the South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority will be consulted shortly about its establishment scheme for 1986–87, including its plans for recruitment.The maximum precept for 1986–87 prescribed in accordance with section 4(1) of the Rates Act 1984 should enable the authority broadly to maintain the existing levels of service. We expect it to meet the nationally recommended standards through efficient use of the available resources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources Her Majesty's Government are making available to the West Yorkshire police authority in 1986–87 compared with 1985–86.

If the West Yorkshire police authority's expenditure, including police grant, in 1986–87 is £126 million, the level currently implied by the maximum precept contained in the Local Government Act 1985 (Police and Fire and Civil Defence Authorities) Precepts Limitation Order 1986 which was approved by Parliament on 11 February, 51 per cent. of its expenditure will be met by the Home Office through police grant and the authority will also receive some £20 million in block grant. Thus in 1986–87, 67 per cent. of the authority's expenditure will be financed by central Government. 50 per cent. of the expenditure of the present police authority in 1985–86 is being met through police grant. It is not possible to say to what extent the authority's expenditure in 1985–86 is financed by block grant, which is paid in support of the county council's services generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the West Yorkshire police authority on the maintenance of an effective and efficient police force; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) on 3 February, at column 2. The House has now approved the order setting a maximum precept for the West Yorkshire police authority. This maximum will allow the authority to spend at a level sufficient to fulfil its statutory duty to maintain an adequate and efficient force for its area. We look to the authority to budget at this level. By virtue of my right hon. Friend's announcement on 11 February of his intention to increase the level of police grant from 50 per cent. to 51 per cent. in 1986–87, the authority will be able to spend at the appropriate level while making a precept below the maximum he has set.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review police powers in relation to the control of firearms; and if he will make a statement.

I share the hon. Member's concern that firearms should be more properly controlled. The Firearms Act 1968 already lays down strict controls over the possession and use of firearms. Generally these work well and we are not persuaded that more stringent controls would have a significant effect on the level of armed crime. I shall, however, keep these issues under close review. Heavy penalties, up to life imprisonment in some instances, can already be imposed on those who use firearms for criminal purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to introduce legislation establishing a prison disciplinary tribunal, as recommended by the report of the committee on the prison disciplinary system (Cmnd. 9641).

As my right hon. Friend said when announcing the publication of the report of the committee on the prison disciplinary system on 30 October 1985, he accepts the need for new adjudication arrangements. The current position is that my right hon. Friend is considering in the light of the report what these arrangements should be. We hope that there will be an early opportunity for legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the post, rank and responsibilities of the official who represents the United Kingdom on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation civil defence committee; how often this committee meets; and where it meets.

The United Kingdom is represented by the head of F6 Division (Emergency Planning). This is a grade 5 post. The NATO civil defence committee meets once a year alternately in Brussels or one of the member nations. There are several working groups which meet more frequently, usually in Brussels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the expenditure by his Department in 1983 on combating illicit drug abuse.

In the financial year 1983–84 the Home Office contributed £121,334 to international effort against drug misuse and provided £276,217 to projects for drug misusers under the aftercare accommodation scheme. It is not possible to quantify the specific contribution to action against drug misuse made by other Home Office expenditure, such as that on the police, but it would, of course, have been very considerable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the chief constable of the West Midlands police as to the number of summonses wich have been issued against officers of their forces for alleged assault on private citizens and the number of cases in which each force has been required to pay compensation to the plaintiff;(2) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the chief constable of the West Midlands police as to the number of assaults which have taken place on women police constables while undertaking patrol duties during the last two years; and in how many cases compensation was gained for injuries from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and list in the Official Report the names of all those Metropolitan police officers present in transit vans in the Holloway road area on the night of 6 August 1983 and subsequently investigated under Police Complaints Authority procedures following an assault upon five young people in Georges road, London N7, that night; and if he will indicate which police stations they were attached to at the time.

I shall write to the hon. Member, but it is not the practice to publicise lists of possible suspects for a criminal offence, especially if such a list would confuse the innocent with the guilty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands police as to the nature of his plans to send plain-clothes officers into public houses and to survey discotheques, off-licences and supermarkets for the purpose of detecting purchase or consumption of alcoholic drinks by under-age youngsters.

I understand from the chief constable of West Midlands police that the laws relating to under-age drinking are enforced as part of general police duties and that he has no plans for special arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands police as to the extent of his plans to mark police vans with special numbers in line with the policy to be adopted by the Metropolitan police.

We have noted the Commissioner's plans to mark certain vehicles to allow them to be identified more easily. We intend drawing this practice to the attention of the Association of Chief Police Officers so that they may consider whether it could be of assistance in other police areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent reports he has received from the West Mercia police on the death of Miss Hilda Murrell.

Miss Murrell's death remains under investigation, but I understand from the chief constable of West Mercia that there has been no recent evidence likely to lead to the identification of an offender.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of rape crisis centres in England and Wales, and where, specifically, they are located.

I have been asked to reply.I understand there are currently 37 rape crisis centres in England and Wales. This Department provides some financial support for the London rape crisis centre at PO Box 69, London WC1X 9NJ, where details of the location of other centres are held.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many private building contractors were declared bankrupt in Great Britain in 1975, 1980 and 1985 or the nearest available years.

The information that is available for insolvencies in the construction industry is given in the table:

	1975	1989	1984
Bankruptcies—England and Wales	1,543	783	901
Company Liquidations—Great Britain	995	1,030	1,913

There is no industry breakdown of sequestrations in Scotland—the equivalent of bankruptcies in England and Wales. The bankruptcy figures include receiving orders and administration orders; the total is the net number of cases administered after consolidations and rescissions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce a measure requiring packets of potato crisps to be marked with the weight of the contents.

Article 14(3)(h) of the Weights and Measures Act 1963 (Miscellaneous Foods) Order 1984 already requires packets of potato crisps (and other similar snack food products) weighing 1 oz (approximately 28·5g) or more to be marked with the net weight of the contents. From 1 July 1989 this lower limit is being reduced to 25g.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning the level of investment in the United Kingdom textile and clothing industries in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will give the comparable figures for each month in the last five years.

The information requested is not available on a monthly basis. Quarterly estimates at 1980 prices of the direct capital expenditure of the textiles, leather and clothing industries from 1981 to the third quarter of 1985 were published in table 3, page 554 of British Business, 13 December 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to prevent the dumping of Romanian men's suits in the United Kingdom.

Imports into the United Kingdom of men's suits from Romania are subject to a quota, which is strictly enforced, under the provisions of the EC/Romania bilateral textile agreement. This agreement also contains provisions for dealing with abnormally low price levels. We have drawn the attention of the European Commission to the prices at which Romanian suits have been entering the United Kingdom, and are considering appropriate action.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations his Department has made to the European Commission in relation to men's suits imported from Romania; and what action they proposed.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in view of the recent availability of unemployment statistics broken down by ward, he will review the means used to determine the boundaries of assisted areas.

Travel-to-work areas are the closest available approximation to self-contained labour markets covering the whole country and are the smallest units for which nationally comparable unemployment rates are available. As such we will continue to use them as the basis for designating assisted areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will extend assisted area status to the Bramley and Wortley wards of Leeds.

I have no plans to extend assisted area status to the Bramley and Wortley wards of Leeds.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if the Government have been approached by Hestair Dennis with a view to conducting exploratory talks as to the future arrangements or ownership of Leyland Bus;(2) if the Government have been approached by Mercedes-Benz with a view to conducting exploratory talks as to the future arrangements or ownership of Leyland Bus;(3) if the Government have been approached by Hino with a view to conducting exploratory talks as to the future arrangements or ownership of Leyland Bus;

No such approach has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government have been approached by Volvo with a view to conducting exploratory talks as to the future arrangements or ownership of Leyland Bus.

Yes; and the company is being invited to explain its interest with BL.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government have been approached by Ikarus with a view to conducting exploratory talks as to the future arrangements or ownership of Leyland Bus.

A representative of Ikarus has briefly discussed with my officials possible ventures in the United Kingdom, but ownership or any other form of merger with Leyland Bus was not discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will state the post, rank and responsibilities of the official who represents the United Kingdom on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation industrial planning committee; how often this committee meets; and where it meets;(2) if he will state the post, rank and responsibilities of the official who represents the United Kingdom on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation civil communications planning committee; how often this committee meets; and where it meets;(3) if he will state the names, posts and employers of the non-government officials who represent the United Kingdom on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation civil communications planning committee.

The United Kingdom is represented on the NATO industrial planning committee and civil communications planning committee by grade 7 officials responsible for defence planning in the Department. Non-Government representation on the civil communications planning committee is provided by a senior employee of British Telecommunications plc. The committees meet in plenary session twice annually, usually at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the grants-in-aid which have been made to companies in the tobacco industry since 1982.

Since 1982 no grant-in-aid has been made by the Department of Trade and Industry to companies in the tobacco industry. £5·5 million was paid to the tobacco industry under section 7 and section 8 of the Industrial Development Act in the period April 1979 to date.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many accidents have been reported where injury has been caused by either (1) people falling through or (2) coming into contact with (i) glass doors, (ii) glass panelling and (iii) windows internal and external and the glass breaking, in whole or part, in the years 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986 to the latest date available.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give his estimate for each of the last five years of the value of United Kingdom (a) manufacturing and (b) total investment in the United States of America and the value of United States (i) manufacturing and (ii) total investment in the United Kingdom.

The latest available information, which excludes direct investment by oil companies, is published in Business Monitor MA4, 1983, (tables 3.3 and 4.3). Figures for 1984 will be published in the spring.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the post, rank and responsibilities of the official who represents the United Kingdom on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation food and agriculture planning committee; how often this committee meets; and where it meets.

The United Kingdom is represented on the NATO food and agriculture planning committee by a grade 7 official who is head of the branch of emergencies division responsible for overall civil defence planning policy for food, agriculture and fisheries. The committee meets twice a year, normally in Brussels, at NATO headquarters.